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The federal and regional top ministers will take extra measures on Wednesday at a Consultation Committee to regain control of the corona crisis. In infections, admissions and deaths, we appear to be one of the Western European brutes.
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In Belgium, 156 beds were still available in intensive care for corona and other severely needy patients on Tuesday. Such a small margin is exceptional, but also occurs in non-corona years. During severe flu peaks – usually around February – the margin on intensive care drops to 100 beds.
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It means that, at the request of government care managers, hospitals will have to postpone all non-urgent interventions – procedures after which patients have to be in intensive care for more than 24 hours. It is a difficult ethical decision for any hospital as to what is considered urgent or non-urgent.
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The federal and regional top ministers will therefore meet early on Wednesday for a Consultation Committee. There are now 557 corona patients in intensive care, a figure that is increasing by an average of 3.5 percent per day. The hope is that recently taken measures – such as the reintroduction of face masks – will halt this increase and that the number of intensive corona patients will cap at 750 to 800 at the beginning of December. If the current growth rate continues, the number will rise to 1,000 in a few weeks.
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